Low head room ladle additive feeder



Sept. 25, 1962 H. E. STENZEL LOW HEAD ROOM LADLE ADDITIVE FEEDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 5, 1960 INVENTOR.

Babe/555i? BY W Sept. 25, 1962 H. E. STENZEL LOW HEAD ROOM LADLE ADDITIVE FEEDER INVENTOR. Zifzie/zze 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1960 U diff 5 United States Patent Office 3,055,482 Patented Sept. 25, 1962 Ware Filed Feb. 5, 1960, Ser. No. 6,967 7 Claims. (Cl. 19848) The invention relates to feeders for adding solid material to molten metal, and has reference in particular to a compact, low head room additive feeder for use in plants where space is limited.

In the manufacture of steel it is customary to add certain additional materials such as manganese which is added for alloying with the steel, and the steel is made to specific requirements as to the percentages of such additional alloying materials. The physical and chemical specifications for such additional alloying materials require that they be uniformly distributed throughout a heat which may comprise many tons of metal. The additive materials are also quite costly and the apparatus for adding the materials must avoid waste of the same if the structure is to be of practical and commercial importance. Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for supplying solid materials to molten metal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact ladle additive feeder for installation in metallurgical plants where head room is low and space is limited.

A more specific object resides in the provision of a ladle feeding unit for the purposes described wherein the hopper of the feeding unit, the vibrating device of the unit and the feeding pan are supported and compactly arranged in frame structure which is pivotally mounted on a stationary base so that the entire unit may be oscillated to and from loading and operative positions.

A further object is to provide a ladle feeding unit including supporting frame structure for the hopper of the unit, the vibrating device and the feeding pan, and wherein the frame structure is mounted for pivotal movement with power cylinders being provided for effecting controlled movement of the frame structure to and from loading and operative positions.

In loading the hopper of the present device the pivotally mounted frame structure is located in a position where the back wall of the hopper is horizontal so as to rest on the floor or a support. As the hopper is lowered to said horizontal position, the pivoted section of the discharge chute is elevated to provide clearance for the ladle. The hopper can now be filled or charged with the solid additive materials by using a wheelbarrow or cart, which is pushed directly into the hopper and dumped. By actuation of the power cylinders, the frame structure can be rotated to an upright operative position whereby the feeding pan will be horizontally disposed. When the unit is so positioned, the pivoted section of the chute is lowered over the ladle.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a feeding unit as described which will incorporate improved means whereby in the event of an electric power failure to the vibrating device, the frame structure can be tilted and held in a forward position for discharging the solid additive materials by gravity.

With these and various other objects in View, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended thereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the device and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like par-ts:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the ladle additive feeder of the invention, the device being shown in normal operative position for feeding materials to a ladle or the like;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view similar to FIG- URE 1 illustrating the normal operative feeding position of the pivoted supporting frame;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view showing the pivoted supporting frame of the apparatus in a rearward tilted position for loading;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view showing the pivoted supporting frame in a forward tilted position for effecting discharge of the additive materials by gravity; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing structural details of the pivot mounting for the supporting frame.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIG- URES 1 and 2, the numeral 10 indicates the stationary base structure for the present feeding unit and which may include a plurality of metal channel members 11 and 12 arranged to form a substantially rectangular supporting base. The base may be reinforced by additional members in the form of channel plates 13 and supporting plates 14. The base structure additionally includes the upright side frame members 15 and 16, FIGURE 6, a pair of said members being located on each side of the base structure and said members being suitably secured as by welding to the channel members 11 and 12. The channel members 11 intermediate their length are additionally secured and held together to form a unit by the metal beams 17 and 18 which provide a support pad for a safety post to be presently described.

The stationary base structure 10 provides the support for the discharge chute 20 and, accordingly, angle plates 21 are secured to the support plates 14, the said angle plates extending upwardly and forwardly of the structure. The said angle plates are located between the side frame members 15 and 16, and the plates are spaced the required distance for supporting the stationary section 22 of the discharge chute 20. The pivoted section 23 of the discharge chute is reinforced at its top end by the yoke 24 and the yoke is, in turn, pivotally secured to the stationary section by the pivot rod 25, the rod extending from side to side of the chute and being retained in place by cotter pins 26. When the chute is in lowered position as shown in FIGURE 1, it will be seen that a continuous path is provided for discharging the addition materials, since the yoke 24 contacts the 'angle plates 21 to assist in properly positioning the pivoted section of the chute and as a result the floor of the stationary section has overlapping relation with the floor of said pivoted section.

The supporting frame structure indicated generally by the numeral 30 provides the hopper for containing a charging load of the additive materials and the frame structure also supports the vibrating feeder pan 31 and the vibrating device 32. As contemplated by the invention, the supporting frame structure is pivotally mounted on the stationary base by the pivot pins '33, a pivot pin being located on each side of the frame structure and pivotally connecting the side plates 34 and 35 of the frame structure with their respective side frame members 15 and 16 of the stationary base. The upper sections of the side plates 34 and 35 form the open top of the hopper and which is maximum in size at said open top as evident from FIGURE 2. Sloping side walls 36 and 37 continue the hopper in a downward direction to eventually terminate in the vertically disposed bottom plates 38 I and 39, which assist in forming the open bottom of the hopper. The said plates 34 and 35, and the sloping side walls 36 and 37 are joined by a forward Wall 40 and which has a location intermediate the length of the frame structure. The forward wall 40 terminates at 41 to assure that the solid materials from the open bottom end of the hopper will be directed forwardly of the vibrating pan 31. The hopper is completed by the rear wall 42 which likewise joins with the upper sections of the side plates 34 and 35, with the sloping side walls 36 and 37 and also with the bottom plates 38 and 39. Rear wall 42 extends well into the vibrating pan 31 and adjacent the rear end wall of the pan and thus provides a ledge blocking passage of the material in a rearward direction which is propelled in a forward direction by the vibrating action of the pan. The safety bar 43 is pivoted at 44 to the rear wall 42 and said bar when not in use is adapted to be received in a recess 45 formed in said rear wall. A latch 46 releasably retains the safety bar within the recess.

The vibrating feeder pan 31 is located directly below the open bottom end of the hopper and said pan is vibrated by the device 32. The vibrating device is supported from the side plates 34 and 35 above the heat shield assembly indicated in its entirety by the numeral 47. The supporting member for the heat shield assembly is formed of the side beams 48 and the end beam 49, the said beams being suitably secured as by welding to form a rectangular frame. The side beams 48 are bolted at 51 to the side plates, respectively, and accordingly the heat shield assembly extends forwardly at the proper angle for accommodating the vibrating device. A shield 52 of heat insulating material is interposed between the frame formed by the beams 4-3 and 49, and the vibrating device 32 in order to protect the device from the heat of the molten steel in the ladle. The pivoted section 23 of the discharge chute 20 is connected to beam 49 of the heat shield assembly by a chain device 53 and which includes the clevis 54 for connecting the chain to the beam 49 and the sling bar 55 which has connection with chute 23.

The pan 31 is vibrated by the device 32 and for the purpose the pan at its rear end is suspended from the frame structure by means of a shackle 56 of the loose pin type. For supporting the vibrating device, suspension means such as 57 are provided. It will be understood that the material from the hopper will be delivered through its open bottom end to the pan 31 and that the said material will be restrained against lateral and rearward movement by the walls of the pan. Also, the angle of repose of the pan is such that the material resting on the same will not flow over the forward discharge end thereof. When it is desired to feed the material, the vibrating device 32 is placed in operation and the vibration of the pan 31 will cause a flow of material over the forward .end thereof and into the stationary section 22 of the discharge chute. The material will flow down the inclined chute to be eventually delivered to the ladle.

The vibrating mechanism of the device 32 is preferably of the electrical type with variation in rate of feed being attained by voltage control of the power current supplied to the mechanism. Accordingly, rate of feed may be adjusted manually by turning a small hand wheel on a control panel.

The supporting frame structure 30 is held in a horizontal position as shown in FIGURE 1 by means of a pair of power cylinders 60, a cylinder being located on each side of the apparatus. Each cylinder is pivotally anchored at 61 to its side frame member 15 and the piston rod 62 of the cylinder is pivotally connected to the frame structure by means of an adjustable lever assembly capable of tWo selective positions. As best shown in FIGURE 1, the piston rod 62 is connected at 63 to a lever 64. The lever, in turn, is selectively mounted within a yoke arrangement 65 secured to and forming part of its particular side plate such as 35. The lever 64 is pivotally anchored at 66 and the locking member 67 retains the lever in either of its two selective positions as will be presently described in detail. Supply pipes such as 76 and the branch pipes 71 and 72 supply air under pressure to the power cylinders respectively, the branch pipe 71 connecting with the bottom end of each cylinder and the branch pipe 72 connecting with the top end of each cylinder. A part of each branch pipe such as 73 and 74 adjacent each cylinder is flexible in order to permit the cylinder to pivot as the piston rod thereof is extended and retracted in its operation of effecting pivotal movement of the supporting frame structure.

The operation of the present ladle addition feeder will be best understood by reference to FIGURES 3, 4 and 5. FIGURE 3 illustrates the operative discharging position of the apparatus with the piston rod of each power cylinder being extended and with the connecting lever 64 being located on the right hand side of the locking member 67.

In the operative horizontal position of the supporting frame structure it will be seen that the chain 53 suspends and positions the pivoted section 23 of the chute so that it forms a continuation of the inclined stationary section 22. Accordingly, upon operation of the vibrating device 32 the pan 31 will be oscillated and the additive materials resting on the pan will be fed to the discharge chute. The safety bar 43 is provided to prevent the supporting frame structure from dropping to a loading position in the event of an air supply failure.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the position of the supporting frame structure for loading or charging the hopper. First of all the safety post is located within its recess 45 and held in said recess by the releasable latch 46. The power cylinders are then actuated by admitting compressed air through supply pipe 72 and exhausting the same through supply pipe '71. This effects a retracting movement of the piston rod and since they are connected by lever 64 at the supporting frame structure, the said frame is caused to pivot in a counterclockwise direction. Accordingly, the rear wall 42 of the hopper will be positioned substantially horizontal and immediately adjacent the floor. The vibrating pan becomes a sloping back wall and the forward wall 40 is positioned approximately vertically. As the hopper is lowered for loading, the pivoted section 23 of the chute is automatically raised providing clearance for the ladle. The open top of the hopper accordingly faces the loading side of the apparatus for the entry of wheelbarrows or carts by means of which the hopper can be loaded. It is only necessary to push the wheelbarrow or cart directly into the hopper and dump the same. When the hopper has received its load or charge of the additive materials, air under pressure is applied to the power cylinders at the lower end thereof through branch pipe 71 and the branch pipe 72 and will function as an exhaust. Accordingly, the power cylinders will elevate the hopper and associated structure to its operating position as previously described in connection with FIGURE 3. The pivoted section 23 of the chute is automatically lowered to a position over the ladle as the supporting frame structure is returned to an operative horizontal position.

In case of an electrical power failure to the vibrating feeder mechanism, the ladle additives can be fed to the delivery chute 20 by gravity using the power cylinders to tilt the supporting frame structure into a forward position as illustrated in FIGURE 5. For this purpose it is necessary first of all to remove the locking pins 67 and locate the levers 64 in their lower selected position, in which position they are located to the left of the locking pin. The said pin is again inserted to retain the lever in place. For so locating the levers 64, it will be necessary to partially retract the piston rods 62. However, with the insertion of the locking members air under pressure can be supplied to the cylinders 60 at the bottom end thereof and the piston rods are extended for a full stroke to cause a tilting of the supporting frame structure into a forward position. The additive materials will now flow by gravity from the pan 31 into the discharge chute for eventual delivery to the ladle.

The invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings, as various other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for adding solid materials in discrete form to molten metal in a ladle, the combination including a stationary supporting base, supporting frame structure pivotally mounted on said base for tilting movement to and from an upright operative position and a rearwardly tilted loading position, said frame structure providing a hopper having an open top loading end and an open bottom discharge end, a feeder pan located within the frame structure below the open discharge end of the hopper, vibrating mechanism for vibrating the feeder pan to effect discharge of the solid materials from the forward discharge end of the pan, a heat shield assembly fixed to the frame structure and located below the vibrating mechanism for supporting the same, a discharge chute including a pivoted section, said section at its material receiving end having a pivotal connection with the stationary base and said material receiving end having associated relation with the discharge end of the feeder pan, and means connecting the pivoted section of the discharge chute to the heat shield assembly whereby said pivoted section is moved from an inclined discharging position to an inoperative elevated position as the frame structure is moved from an upright operative position to a rearwardly tilted loading position, said pivoted section when in an inoperative elevated position providing clearance for the ladle.

2. In apparatus for adding solid materials in discrete form to molten metal as defined by claim 1, additionally including power means for tilting the supporting frame structure.

3. In apparatus for adding solid materials in discrete form to molten metal as defined by claim 2, additionally including power means pivotally supported by the stationary base and pivotally connecting with the supporting frame structure for tilting said frame structure.

4. -In apparatus for adding solid materials in discrete form to molten metal, the combination including a stationary base, supporting frame structure pivotally mounted on said base for tilting movement, said frame structure providing a hopper including a rear wall and having an open top loading end and an open bottom discharge end, vibrating mechanism supported by the frame structure and including a feeder pan located below the open bottom end of the hopper and with the rear wall thereof extending into the pan adjacent the rear thereof, power means for tilting the frame structure and which is so constructed and arranged as to effect movement of the frame structure to and from an upright operative position wherein the feeder pan is approximately horizontally disposed and a rearwardly tilted loading position wherein the rear wall of the hopper is approximately horizontally disposed, a discharge chute having pivotal connection at its material receiving end with the stationary base and said material receiving end having associated relation with the forward end of the feeder pan, and means connecting the discharge chute to the supporting frame structure whereby said chute is moved from an inclined discharging position to an inoperative elevated position as the frame structure is moved from an upright operative position to a rearwardly tilted loading position.

5. Apparatus for adding solid materials in discrete form to molten metal as defined by claim 4, wherein the power means includes a power cylinder pivotally secured to the stationary base and having a piston rod pivotally connected to the frame structure, and wherein said piston rod when extended will locate the frame structure in an upright operative position and when retracted will locate the frame structure in a rearwardly tilted loading position.

6. In apparatus for adding solid materials in discrete form to molten metal, the combination including a stationary base, supporting frame structure pivotally mounted on said base for tilting movement, whereby to selectively locate the frame structure in either an upright operative position, a rearwardly tilted loading position or a forwardly tilted gravity feeding position, said frame structure providing a hopper including a rear wall and having an open top loading end and an open bottom discharge end, vibrating mechanism supported by the frame structure and including a feeder pan located below the open bottom end of the hopper and with the rear wall thereof extending into the pan adjacent the rear thereof, power means for tilting the frame structure and including a power cylinder pivotally secured to the stationary base and having a piston rod pivotally connected to the frame structure, and a link member included in said pivotal connection of the piston rod with the frame structure, said link member having two selected positions with respect to the frame structure, whereby with the link member in one selected position and with the piston rod extended the frame structure is located in an upright operative position and with the piston rod retracted the frame structure is located in a rearwardly tilted loading position, and whereby when the link member is in its other selected position and the piston rod is extended the frame structure is located in its forwardly tilted gravity feeding position.

7. Apparatus for adding solid materials in discrete form to molten metal as defined by claim 6, additionally including a discharge chute pivotally connected at its material receiving end to the stationary base, and means connecting the discharge chute to the supporting frame so that the chute is inclined in a feeding direction when the frame structure is located in an upright operative position, and whereby the discharge chute is elevated into an inoperative position when the frame structure is located in its rearwardly tilted loading position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,180,690 Berg Apr. 25, 1916 2,579,409 White Dec. 18, 1951 2,744,670 Bendot May 8, 1956 2,872,180 Tietig Feb. 3, 1959 2,922,538 Pottmeyer Jan. 26, 1960 

